Geographical Study of Fertilizer Consumption in Solapur District of Maharashtra

Fertilizer is the important inputs for achieving high productivity  India’s impressive growth in food production has been principally due to widespread use of HYV seeds-fertilizer-water technology. Fertilizer is associated with an assured water supply either through rain or irrigation, plant-nutrients, consisting of major secondary and micro-elements have certain specific functions to perform in the plant and should be available in a balanced manner otherwise the full benefits of each or all of them . The forms chemical as well as physical in which nutrients are to be applied to the soil determine not only their availability but also the use efficiency of fertilizers containing them.  The fertilizer doses are based on field experiments and depend on crop variety, water availability and soil characteristics.  In addition, organic manures and compost derived from plant residues and agricultural wastes and by products may provide plant nutrients. There are at least sixteen chemical elements, which are essential for the growth and development of all crops.  Out of these, carbon (C), hydrogen (H) , Oxygen (O) are obtained by plants (Crops) through air and water and the rest through soils. Fertilizer is land saving as well as labor saving input .The period during the last 20 years has witnessed considerable increase in the use of fertilizers as the key factor for increasing agricultural production. This phenomenon in irrigated parts of the region. The present study spatial variations in consumption of fertilizer have been analyzed. The Secondary data obtained from the record maintained by zilla perished and Agricultural development office of the region.It is observed that there is an increasing trend in the consumption of fertilizer in the region. The Consumption of fertilizer has been increased from 3.13kg/hect to19.43 kg/hect due to substantial development of irrigation. The data thus obtained were analyzed with the help of formula which was employed by jadhav & Shinde to calculate concentration index value of fertilizer consumption per unit area.North Solapur, Barshi and Akkalkot have lowest consumption of fertilizer.Pandharpur and Malshriras tehsils were high fertilizer consumption due to the Development of Irrigation facilities